Housatonic Railroad Thread (Maybrook, Berkshire, Pittsfield)

[Gilbert B Norman]

For how long have I held your immediate thought, Mr. Shepaug?

First, judging from your handle, you are far more local to the region than am I; I of course will defer to your local knowledge.

I plan to go out for SKS's close of their centenary (bring the checkbook, 'Lums ), since this will in all likelihood my final journey "back to The Hillside", my chances of ever laying eyes on an HRR train are nil to nonexistent. Carol-Ann, Director Alumni Affairs, has said to me "there's always a train coming by when I come to work", which doesn't tell any of us around here too much (come on Girl; power, car count, cars - LD or MTY?).

But the 80+ car through freight (NB always about Noon) and two passenger trains Daily (three Sat NB, Sun SB) will never (prevalent in '61 when I graduated) return.

Now in all fairness, and away from "partisan" sites such as here, is there really sufficient demand in a post-COVID WFH environment, to move forth on the proposed extension of MNR service to New Milford? Even if the advocates for such can accept locomotive handled trains, that track, when I observe it around New Milford, appears to be FRA "exempt" (that's as low as you can go).

[Jeff Smith]

Mssr. Norman, IMHO there is a possibility of passenger service. Massachusetts owns their portion of the line, and if Compass Rail (formerly east-west, Boston-Albany or Pittsfield, thereabouts), I could see Mass funding Pittsfield - Canaan.

Regarding your immediate thought on New Milford, I don't know if there's a consensus or not, but it seems the most obvious. The hurdles are high; Housy owns the line Danbury to New Milford, and CTDOT would have to pay dearly. Unlike MA, CT and Housy don't get along. Then there's the stretch Danbury - Brewster (Southeast), which would seem to have the most potential, except that MNRR has just about consummated its abandonment of their portion. That wouldn't preclude using it, but would complicate it. You've seen the growth in the area up to New Milford, and I can tell you the traffic on 84 going to 684 and Southeast is horrendous. My vote is "build it and they will come".

[Gilbert B Norman]

I will not dismiss your thought, Sgt. Smith.

Since the Commonwealth of Tax seems to now hold that every line within their domain will have a passenger train, I suppose Pittsfield-Canaan, which they already paid to have become FRA Class 3 (F40, P60), could be a first on their passenger train (mis)adventure.

Will they have service so one could attend a concert at Tanglewood? Uh, "oh for sure".

Finally, as I've previously noted why they paid to fix up track to serve a Connecticut industry (Becton Dickinson in Canaan, which uses rail shipped plastic pellets to manufacture their medical devices) simply escapes me.

[Jeff Smith]

Oh my, I was just envisioning Housy trackage in CT as Class III. Housy would love that (at someone else's expense, of course).

[Gilbert B Norman]

Maybe where they laid welded rail along Hatch Pond (that somebody else paid for) is there Class 3 on that excuse for a railroad.

[BandA]

I'm going to steal "The Commonwealth of Tax". Someday, these lines in MA will either host passenger trains, tourist trains or rail-trails. No way will they become new roadways. I'd like to see CT turn their disdain for Housatonic either into buying them out or waiting them out. Leave the rail in place. I remind everyone of the transportation bill during the Deval Patrick administration that balanced shoveling money to the MBTA with a proportional amount for projects in the west/berkshires, to solidify the support. Someday, new technologies will reduce the costs & make trains a more flexible solution, if the tracks are still available.

[NaugyRR]

With G&W basically running every other freight railroad in CT, I could see the Housy ending up as part of the Berkshire & Eastern at some point.

As far as freight potential on the Beacon, I don't see it happening. It's such a hilly circuitous route with maybe a couple pockets of potential customers, but even if you get it all the way to the Hudson you still have to trek north to Castleton for the bridge, or down to the city through the slog of commuter trains for what? Car floats? CSX killed off their Croton yard, so it's not like your interchange options are really overflowing the glass.

I want to see freight rail succeed, and I think it will on the Berkshire route, but the east-west freight traffic through CT died as the Poughkeepsie bridge burned.

[Jeff Smith]

With G&W basically running every other freight railroad in CT, I could see the Housy ending up as part of the Berkshire & Eastern at some point.

As far as freight potential on the Beacon, I don't see it happening. It's such a hilly circuitous route with maybe a couple pockets of potential customers, but even if you get it all the way to the Hudson you still have to trek north to Castleton for the bridge, or down to the city through the slog of commuter trains for what? Car floats? CSX killed off their Croton yard, so it's not like your interchange options are really overflowing the glass.

I want to see freight rail succeed, and I think it will on the Berkshire route, but the east-west freight traffic through CT died as the Poughkeepsie bridge burned.

Some good points that I'll add some observations to:

I would love to see Housy as part of the G&W. Everyone loves to deride them, and a lot of it is earned. Let's remember, though, the Berkshire Division was ABANDONED before they came along. Or OOS at the least. HRRC started out as a scenic operation, and grew it. It helped them when they picked up the pieces of Conrail's withdrawal from Danbury. But they basically ignored traffic west. Would G&W be interested, though?

The connection at Beacon is no longer available with MNRR on the cusp of official abandonment; HRRC relinquished their rights as part of this. In any case, the connection is northbound, so Croton and the City are out unless there's a reverse move, or CSX waiting to interchange.

The bridge was the beginning of the end, but not THE end. The end was when CR pulled out. I remember visiting Hopewell in the late 80's, and it still looked pretty busy. The lack of online business was what led to CR pulling out. CR just didn't need it as a through route.

[Gilbert B Norman]

With G&W basically running every other freight railroad in CT, I could see the Housy ending up as part of the Berkshire & Eastern at some point.

Mr. Naugy, I trust you mean the Providence & Worcester - a Genesee property - rather than the Berkshire and Eastern (also Genesee).

Where's a physical interchange between them? To my knowledge, the B & E is "T & T's" - Timmy and Topper - PAS B&M route of the Flying Yankee.

[NaugyRR]

I meant the Genesee & Wyoming, and just gave the Berkshire & Eastern as an example, but could see either the P&W or the B&E taking over. The current super convoluted, kinda sorta interchange is with the P&W via Derby, but I'm not sure what the status of that is with the track being OOS.

[Jeff Smith]

I’ve got it somewhere on here, but the lower, eastern Maybrook has a rehab funded. The post is likely upthread.

P&W as GBN notes would be logical; they already serve Tilcon in Danbury, and have overhead rights.

Considering that P&W asked the STB for an adverse abandonment, the parties weren’t likely on speaking terms. Since the acquisition of P&W? Maybe.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Messrs. Naugy and Smith, that "excuse of a railroad. X on Bridge Street in New Milford and you will see a road that can only be FRA Exempt (as low as you go).

Last year, Bulls Bridge Road was under construction, so I used a back exit to enter and exit SKS, so I never did get to see the track at the X-ing by Woodrow.

Honestly, with no industry on line Danbury-Canaan, who'd want it?

All that nice traffic from Scoville at New Milford - brass fittings, not much chance of damage even if there were a spill - is gone.

[xcnoah]

some seriously uninformed opinions here

[Jeff Smith]

How so? Educate us. All opinions are welcome.

[xcnoah]

Many things Mr. Norman states are just wrong.

"Honestly, with no industry on line Danbury-Canaan" FALSE

"Finally, as I've previously noted why they paid to fix up track to serve a Connecticut industry (Becton Dickinson in Canaan, which uses rail shipped plastic pellets to manufacture their medical devices) simply escapes me." FALSE

"Messrs. Naugy and Smith, that "excuse of a railroad. X on Bridge Street in New Milford and you will see a road that can only be FRA Exempt (as low as you go)." FALSE